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How long to steep white tea?

For the past 4 years since I've discovered loose leaf tea, I've read from various sources that white tea should be steeped at around 175 F and for about 3 minutes. Lately I've been giving myself a little refresher on the subject, and I was browsing around on adagio's site. According to them, white tea should be steeped for 7 minutes. To me, this seems like an eternity for such a delicate tea. Upton Teas, who I believe to be a bit more knowledgable on this subject, still recommends that all their white varieties be steeped for 3 minutes. As do most other sources.

Since adagio seems to be the odd man out here, I still feel I should steep all my whites for no more than 3 minutes. But I was wondering if anyone else has heard of this or if anyone practices this.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Reply to
Terry Youngkin
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I don't think there's a rule that applies to all white teas. Very long steeps at fairly cool temperatures seem to work for some, and I've had good results with water just off the boil and very short steeps with others. Unfortunately, I think you just need to experiment.

By the way, the idea that all white teas are delicate may be a faulty assumption. Big, tight buds take more time and/or heat before they will properly infuse. (Have you seen bud-only Yunnan large-leaf white tea?) In fact, I suspect it's the lower grades of white teas, the leaf-only ones, especially where broken, that are the most delicate.

/Lew

Reply to
Lewis Perin

Try it. I think you'll find it becomes bitter with extended steeping times, although it is possible that some higher grade whites have less of a problem in that regard.

I have accidentally steeped white and green teas for extended times and the results were never pleasant. On the other hand, you can leave the Ten Ren _Oriental Beauty_ black tea there for hours without a problem.

--scott

Reply to
Scott Dorsey

I brew my whites 5 minutes in 80 deg C, otherwise the flavour tends to come out too weak. With good white tea (like silver needles) I don't find that it gets bitter with oversteeping.

I assume because white tea is less processed than the usual green it's harder to extract the flavour out of it.

Reply to
aloninna

It's pretty hot here in Britain at the moment and I tried very tender green tea with cold water only, in a thermo flask. I took it to work and to my surprise it reached its peak after about 4 hours in the water. It was actually quite delicious, not a trace of bitterness. Maybe one should try this with white tea as well?

JB

Reply to
danube

When I brew Snowbuds from Upton, it gets 3 min., but I brew Snowbuds from Adagio for only 4 min. because any longer tastes harsh to me.

Since it's your palate that you have to please, I recommend that you experiment and brew for however long tastes best to you.

Reply to
Bluesea

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